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Working with a team that is substantially younger - or older - than you can be difficult. It can feel like you have nothing in common and this can make relating to them a challenge. However, it doesn't have to be an impossible task. Take the right steps and you will find it a lot easier to inspire and motivate a team that is much younger than you.

Encourage independence

Younger workers crave much more independence than generations before them. This allows them to be creative and make the most of their skills, it also makes sure that they take responsible for their own efforts and mistakes. Although playing the blame game is never a productive activity, having people take responsibility for projects that aren't as successful as they could have been allows them to identify areas where they can improve and ultimately make them a better worker.

Explain the company vision

Helping people of any age to understand the reasons behind why the company is doing what it is allows workers to get meaning from what they do every day. This can motivate them and encourage them to be more productive.

Younger professionals are more likely to engage with this if you can link it back to the company values, meaning you'll get the most out of them. It helps them see the purpose of what they're doing each day and why doing a good job is important to the rest of the company.

Make flexibility a priority

A traditional workforce was a lot more rigid than what's expected today and younger people feel more motivated in a company that allows them to be flexible. This relates to their working day as well as their progression in the business. If you're able to offer your team the autonomy to decide when and where they work, it allows them to balance their role with other commitments they may have or play to their strengths. This ensures you get the most from them and that they are the most productive when they are working.

Allowing them to progress and not restricting the ways in which they can do it ensures that they feel motivated to work for your company, as they can develop new skills in the business.